Not Sure What To Say

[Foofy]

Hello! I'm just going to get straight down to it. For quite awhile now, I've just been getting a little confused and kind of frustrated and not knowing what to think etc. because of whats happening.

I say to myself something like "I do take refuge in Jesus", but I don't feel like when I am saying that, it doesn't feel..... "enforced", or like I really personally do. And I feel like its something that I can't really help or control, even though it might be possible I can. And things like I really have faith that God or Jesus will lead my on the right path, but really doesn't feel enforced, kind of like I don't care, even though I really do?? I'm really not sure how to explain it. Am I the only one, or do I just sound like I'm talking gibberish not knowing what I'm talking about? I really do need help, I'm starting to kind of worry. Should I try to explain better?

 

[parsley]

That's normal. It's logic that causes you to see yourself saying something out of faith, without concrete evidence, and question validity. God called the creation of the brain good. He also asked us to go beyond and add faith.

What will help, is to determine to read the Bible as God's trustworthy Word. Decide to believe that what God teaches you about His system, is higher than logic.

He steps in where we fail, so praying with faith might seem like blank words, but He is on the other end of the phone. A real and living God who has the ability to do all.

Think of this squirmy feeling as training, to understand how faith works. Read the Bible with determination to use what you read.

 

[Steeno7]

Hello! I'm just going to get straight down to it. For quite awhile now, I've just been getting a little confused and kind of frustrated and not knowing what to think etc. because of whats happening.

I say to myself something like "I do take refuge in Jesus", but I don't feel like when I am saying that, it doesn't feel..... "enforced", or like I really personally do. And I feel like its something that I can't really help or control, even though it might be possible I can. And things like I really have faith that God or Jesus will lead my on the right path, but really doesn't feel enforced, kind of like I don't care, even though I really do?? I'm really not sure how to explain it. Am I the only one, or do I just sound like I'm talking gibberish not knowing what I'm talking about? I really do need help, I'm starting to kind of worry. Should I try to explain better?

"Feelings" are a fickle thing indeed, which is why we are encouraged to not live by feelings or by sight, but by faith. Faith trusts in the One we believe in to do as He has promised. Jesus has promised to never leave or forsake those who are His, He has promised to lead us to the completion of the work He has begun in us....and He is trustworthy.

We all doubt ourselves, and we should. But we never have to doubt Jesus. Our confidence is in Him, not ourselves. It is mostly in hindsight, looking back on our lives that we will see how He was leading us. In the present, we live by faith, trusting that Christ is leading us, whether we see it or feel it, because He is leading us.

 

[1watchman]

Steeno and Parsley made a good point. Don't depend on feelings. One who has sincerely received the Lord Jesus into their heart as their own Savior, and is devoted to Him, should not let doubts come in; and just walk and talk with Him as your best Friend, and thank Him often for coming to you. In time you will feel more settled and happy as you commune with Him along your path. Look up always!

 

[Emmy]

Dear Foofy. Why not just do what Jesus says? and follow His Commandments and show that you are following them? In Matthew 22: 35-40
Jesus tells us: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself." Then Jesus points out: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets," What is clearer than that? Jesus wants us to Love God, and love and care for our neighbour.
( our neighbour being all we know and all we meet, friends and not friends.)
In Matthew 7: 7-10: we are told: " ask and ye shall receive," then we ask God for Love and Joy, thank God, and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour. God is Love, and God wants loving sons and daughters.
The Bible tells us: " Repent," and be " Born Again," Jesus our Saviour will help and guide us. " Ask and Be Born Again, and we know that God will not force us, we ask and keep asking in prayer for help to become Loving and Caring men and women. We might stumble and forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us, and carry on being as God wants us to be. That may not be easy for us to do, but GOD WANTS IT FROM US. Jesus will help us all the way: JESUS IS THE WAY.
Let us ask and receive, then thank God and follow His Loving Advice, there is not much for us to say, Jesus will be our WAY, and Jesus will lead us all the way. Just remember: God is Love and God wants loving sons and daughters,
" ask and ye shall receive, " then follow Jesus all the way.
I say this with love, Foofy. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[BornAgainBob]

Jesus tells us: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

How do you know that you, Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind?

 

[parsley]

It might seem a silly verse to look up the ancient language definitions, but "love" can seem vague. In this verse, love/Agape means:

1. of persons
   1. to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly
2. of things
   1. to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a thing

(Thayer at Studylight.org)

Perhaps from ἄγαν agan (much; or compare [H5689]); to love (in a social or moral sense): - (be-) love (-ed). Compare G5368.

(Strong at Studylight.org) G5368 is approve, sanction, befriend, welcome.
​

We make these gestures with humans that we don't completely feel love toward -- but in making the effort, friendships tighten and love grows.

 

[Mister_Al]

Love isn't a feeling, it's a work.

When you pray for someone your prayer is a work of love.
Giving your last dollar to someone who really needs it is a work of love.
Cutting the grass for the elderly couple next door is a work of love.

You can know your love for God through the things you do for Him.

The same applies to your faith. Faith without works is dead.

James 2:14-26New King James Version (NKJV)


14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your[a] works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?[c] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[d] And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.